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GCSE Maths: Area and Volume

Practise GCSE Maths area and volume questions — 2D shapes, prisms, cylinders, cones, pyramids and spheres. AQA, Edexcel, OCR and Eduqas.

GeometryFoundation & HigherAQA · Edexcel · OCR · Eduqas

What you need to know

The concepts examiners test on area and volume, and what each one is really asking.

Area of 2D shapes (triangle, trapezium, parallelogram, circle)
Volume of prisms and cylinders
Volume of pyramids, cones and spheres
Surface area of 3D shapes
Composite area and volume

Where marks get lost

The exam technique that separates a correct method from a correct answer.

  • Area of circle = πr²; Circumference = 2πr
  • Volume of prism = cross-sectional area × length
  • Leave answers in terms of π unless told to use 3.14 or a calculator

Area and Volume questions students ask

What is the formula for the area of a trapezium?

Area of trapezium = ½(a + b)h, where a and b are the parallel sides and h is the perpendicular height.

What is the formula for the volume of a cone?

Volume of cone = ⅓πr²h, where r is the radius of the base and h is the perpendicular height.